Home hit as family sleeps
A SAMURAI sword was among items allegedly stolen from a family home in West End when four youths forced their way in while the victims slept in their beds.
About 11.45pm on Sunday, the offenders allegedly broke into Sherrin McLay’s Martinez St home, stealing a laptop, GoPro video camera, coins, cigarettes, car keys and a samurai sword.
Ms McLay and her fiance Julian Carcaillet were asleep when the family dog Indy began barking loudly. Mr Carcaillet woke to see the four youths running out of the house.
“We have a dog to try and protect us. We are very glad to have that dog,” Ms McLay said.
“In a way we were lucky we didn’t confront them because they would have been holding a sword.”
Police were called and the dog squad was able to track down one man who was charged with burglary.
Southern patrol group’s Acting Inspector Paul Niven said the alleged offenders used a lighter to burn a hole in a door’s security mesh before forcing it open and then used some form of tool to bust through the wooden door.
The alleged thieves then went through the bedrooms of two of the couple’s children who were not home.
Ms McLay’s 17- year- old son Jesse bought the 1m replica samurai sword while holidaying in Japan and the GoPro and laptop were full of pictures and videos from his travels. His spare car key was also taken.
Ms McLay said she barely got to sleep after the incident.
“You are pretty sure they are not going to come back but it’s just a horrible uncomfortable fear that they’ve been there already,” she said.
“There’s no stopping them – they are that brazen they don’t care that there’s possibly somebody in the house.”
Walter Steven Paul Massey, 19, was arrested near the scene.
He faced Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday where he was bailed to return to court on November 10.
Insp Nevin urged anyone with information on the incident or who could help police track down the other alleged offenders to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.